Metallic nanoparticle biocide in industrial applications

Abstract

A method includes providing a measured dose amount of manufactured metallic nanoparticle material and adding the measured dose amount of the manufactured metallic nanoparticle material to a carrier material for pre-treatment of the carrier material prior to use of the carrier material and the manufactured metallic nanoparticle material in the sub-surface earth activity. Another method includes accessing a sub-surface earth opening that is used in conjunction with the sub-surface earth activity, introducing an amount of manufactured metallic nanoparticle material into the sub-surface earth opening, and treating a sub-surface earth condition present at a sub-surface earth location accessible via the sub-surface earth opening. The sub-surface earth condition is treated with the manufactured metallic nanoparticle material. Another method includes accessing a product from a sub-surface earth location that is extracted in conjunction with the sub-surface earth activity, measuring a dose amount of manufactured metallic nanoparticle material, introducing the measured dose amount of the manufactured metallic nanoparticle material with the product from the sub-surface earth location.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for treatment using a metallic nanoparticle material, the method comprising:
 accessing a material that is subject to contamination conditions by a contaminant from a sub-surface earth activity;   measuring a dose amount of manufactured metallic nanoparticle material; and   introducing the measured dose amount of the manufactured metallic nanoparticle material with the material that is subject to the contamination conditions.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the manufactured metallic nanoparticle material comprises silver nanoparticles, wherein substantially all of the silver nanoparticles have a diameter between about 2 nanometers and about 100 nanometers. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein manufactured metallic nanoparticle material comprises silver nanoparticles which have an average diameter between about  5  nanometers and about  15  nanometers. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the material comprises a natural environmental composition including rainwater, runoff water, standing water, soil, and/or plants. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the contaminant from the sub-surface earth activity comprises bacteria, organic carbons, inorganic ions, and/or metals. 
     
     
         6 . A method for treatment using a metallic nanoparticle material, the method comprising:
 accessing a material that is subject to contamination conditions by a contaminant from a substantially anaerobic condition;   measuring a dose amount of manufactured metallic nanoparticle material; and   introducing the measured dose amount of the manufactured metallic nanoparticle material with the material that is subject to the contamination conditions.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the manufactured metallic nanoparticle material comprises silver nanoparticles, wherein substantially all of the silver nanoparticles have a diameter between about 2 nanometers and about 100 nanometers. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein manufactured metallic nanoparticle material comprises silver nanoparticles which have an average diameter between about 5 nanometers and about 15 nanometers. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the contaminant from the sub-surface earth activity comprises bacteria, organic carbons, and/or metals. 
     
     
         10 . A composition of silver in water as an industrial biocide comprising a total concentration of silver of between about one part per billion and fifty parts per million, the silver in the form of silver nanoparticles in suspension and having an interior of elemental silver and a surface of silver oxide, wherein a majority of the silver nanoparticles have a maximum diameter less than about 100 nanometers, and wherein a majority of the silver nanoparticles have a minimum diameter of greater than about 2 nanometers, and wherein the composition exhibits antimicrobial properties. 
     
     
         11 . The composition of  claim 10 , wherein the composition has structural and functional attributes to chemically decompose hydrogen sulfide (H 2 S) and/or hydrosulfide ions (HS − ) exposed to the silver nanoparticles. 
     
     
         12 . The composition of  claim 10 , wherein the composition further comprises a drilling mud to form a drilling fluid for use in drilling a borehole. 
     
     
         13 . The composition of  claim 10 , wherein the composition further comprises a fracturing fluid for hydraulic fracturing within a borehole. 
     
     
         14 . The composition of  claim 10 , wherein the composition comprises produced water extracted from a sub-surface borehole. 
     
     
         15 . The composition of  claim 10 , wherein the composition comprises a total concentration of silver of between about five per billion and about fifty parts per million. 
     
     
         16 . The composition of  claim 10 , wherein a majority of the silver nanoparticles have a maximum diameter less than about 15 nanometers and a minimum diameter of greater than about 5 nanometers. 
     
     
         17 . The composition of  claim 10 , wherein the total concentration of silver is between about 1 part per billion and about 64 parts per million.